Table 2.
The impact of the specific effects of climate change on human health [7].
| Factor | Exposure | Driver | Outcomes | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heat | Increased temperatures | More prolonged, frequent, and severe heat events | Increased heat-associated morbidity and mortality | Rising temperatures will continue to lead to heat-related illness and death |
| Reduced outdoor air quality | Reduced air quality due to increased levels of ozone, and particulate matter | Increased temperatures and air pollution | Increased morbidity and mortality from acute and chronic cardiovascular and respiratory disease | Increased temperature, reduced precipitation, and wildfires increase ozone levels and particulate matter |
| Floods | Damage to infrastructure, sanitation, and contamination | Rising sea levels, storms, increased rain, and hurricanes | Drowning and increased water-borne disease | Inland and coastal floods have negative public health and societal impacts |
| Water-borne disease | Contamination of fish, shellfish, the sea, rivers, and recreational waterways | Increased sea and river surface temperatures and water runoff on land and the coasts | Increased water temperatures and humidity result in increased diseases from water-borne pathogens | Increasing inland and coastal water temperatures increase the risk of water-borne infections |
| Vector-borne disease | Increased numbers and distribution of mosquitos, ticks, and mites | Changes in seasonal and global weather patterns | Increased reports of diseases from mosquitos, ticks, and mites | Vectors show earlier seasonal activity and are expanding northwards |
| Food-borne disease | Seasonal and geographical shift in farming, livestock, and exposure to pathogens | Increased temperatures, season length, humidity, and proximity of livestock | Outbreaks of infections from contaminated food, including Salmonella and E. coli | Longer seasons and warmer winters impact the incidence of pathogen contamination |
| Mental health | Increased exposure to trauma, illness, and economic insecurity | Reduced availability of food and water, forced migration and uncertainty | Increased levels of anxiety and distress due to grief, illness, and social and economic impacts | Climate change and weather-related events and disasters cause or exacerbate mental illness |
Modified from: National Institute of Environmental and Health Sciences (NIEHS) [7].